You're As Cold As Ice
by Confetti Its A Parade
Summary: When Sam and Dean get into a fight and Dean says something he regrets Sam runs off. Later that night, Sam is faced with the abrupt knowledge that maybe being cold isn't such a bad thing sometimes.
1. You're As Cold As Ice

_**You're As Cold As Ice.**_

**Summery: Sometimes being cold isn't always a bad thing.**

**Rated: T For Main Character Death, some violence and the obvious angst. :(**

**WARNING: Character death, angst, swearing and uber sadness...**

**Story Type: Currently a one-shot, but I may change it. We'll see how things go..**

**Genre: Tragedy, Family, Angst... Schmoop?**

**A/N: My reason for making this fic?... You know... I honestly have no idea. I'm obviously not 100% stable upstairs though, lol. But then again, you're reading it aren't you? What does that say about you, eh? Lol, hope you enjoy, anyways. Or... whatever you came here for to feel.  
**

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**Part One**

_**Sam's POV**_

It was about 11:30 at night and Sam was depressed. Cold, bloody, in unbelievable pain and depressed. He stared blankly at the dark night sky above him, his entire body livid with the agony of numerous broken bones, internal bleeding and too many bruises to count.

So yah, as you can see he's not exactly without reason at the moment.

This... this is what he gets. This is what Sam gets for taking a damn walk. For trying to clear his head and get ahold of his unstable emotions.

For being stupid enough to push his brother.

Sam felt his eyes start to tear up with emotion and angry frustration as he let loose another pained sigh. This small movement lead to an almost instant groan of agony, both physical and emotional.

Small tracks of tears started to slip down his chilled, bruised cheeks and Sam felt his heart start to ache mercilessly as the scene that had happened earlier that night flashed before his glazing eyes.

* * *

_Sam stared quietly down at the dusty old book currently resting before him, but his mind was a million miles away from what he was supposed to be reading._

_Thing's had been beyond tense between them for awhile. Ever since dad died, Dean had been distant... cold._

_All he wanted to do was help for Christ sakes!_

_Why did Dean always have to be such an asshole when it came to talking to him about anything even remotely related to his emotions?_

_Sam clutched his pencil tighter as he heard a soft sigh ring from Dean and glanced up. Dean was staring down at the laptop screen, a stoic expression on his face as he researched their most recent hunt._

_But Sam knew better._

_Sam knew that Dean was hurting just as much as he was over dads death. But of course, he had to put up the tough little solider act because for some bizarre reason, in Deans mind, Sam needed constant emotional protection or he'd instantly collapse into himself like a poorly played game of Janga._

_"Dean?" Sam sighed out, looking up sadly at his older brother. Dean's eyes instantly flickered up from the screen at the sound of his name._

_"Yea Sammy? Find something?" He questioned gruffly._

_Sam shook his head. "Nothing yet man, but that's not what I wanted to talk to you about..." A confused gaze over took Dean's face for a moment, and then a gradual expression of realization and annoyance replaced it._

_"Goddammit Sam, why can't you just let this go? I'm dealing with dads death alright? Stop pushing!" Sam felt a spark of anger jump through him and he stood up, shaking his head in defiance._

_"No Dean, your not. Your repressing. Last time I checked there's a pretty big damn difference between dealing with something and suffering in silence. Why won't you just let me try and help make this at least a little easier for you?" Sam practically begged._

_Fire flashed in his eyes as Dean shot up at that and snapped his response. "Why? Because I'm a good son, Sam! This might be a surprise to you but when a family member croaks suffering tends to pop up now and again! News flash Sam, our dad just DIED! Or have you already forgotten?"_

_Sam's mouth dropped open in shock, eyes becoming pinched with hurt. "How can you say that Dean? You know I loved dad just as much as you did! Just like he did us!" _

_That was the straw that broke the camels back._

_Dean let out a loud, bellowing laugh of sneered out sarcastically. "Right Sam! "Us"! No, its always been about you Sam. You! Wanna known what dad told me on my fourteenth birthday?" He growled. " Not, "Happy birthday Dean." no, his exact words were, "Make sure you take care of your brother while I'm gone Dean." Like I could have ever forgotten! It was always my job to protect precious little Sammy!"_

_Sam felt his heart start to speed up, throat tightening with shock at how much anger was being directed his way. He knew Dean was about to say something he'd regret. And he couldn't stop it any more then he could stop a freight train barreling at him._

_"Why Sam? Why did I have to be the poor bastard stuck with all the goddamn responsibility? Why did I have to worry about shooting perfectly because if I didn't 'Sammy could get hurt.'?" Dean ground out, "Do you think that you were the only one suffering? That I enjoyed having dad miss almost every single one of my birthdays? DO YOU?"_

_He flinched fiercely at the shouted question, unshed tears starting to blur his vision and his entire body growing heavy and hot with emotional distress. But Dean didn't see his brother, only the rage that now colored his eyes._

_"Dad was an obsessed bastard! I didn't deserve or want any of the bullcrap he laid on me, Sam! Any of it!" Sam then let out a loud stunned yelp when Dean suddenly grabbed ahold of his collar, ripping him from his spot and slamming him roughly up against a wall._

_A sharp SMACK erupted throughout the room and Sam let out a loud shout of pain as the sharp blow of Dean's hand landed across his unsuspecting cheek. Sam felt as if his entire world were being ripped out from under him as a smooth trickle of blood oozed down his face._

_Sam couldn't see Dean's ferocious looking face through his teary, pained haze, but he could sure as hell feel it. Nothing Sam had ever experienced in his life could equal up to the amount of misery that was having his older brother, the man who he'd idolized for almost his entire life tell him he was a..._

_"Is this enough sharing for you, Sammy? Tell me, what did I do to deserve any of this Sam! TELL ME! C'mon college boy, tell me what I did to deserve such a... a.."_

_"... a burden?" Sam choked out despondently. Dean froze, and just barely through his haze he watched as a slow expression of shock and horror spread across the older mans face. Dean mentally jerked himself back into control._

_But the damage was done._

_"I-Is that all I was to you D-Dean? Just some pathetic little n-nuisance that you were u-unlucky enough to have gotten stuck w-with?" He ground out, uncontrollable tears now gushing down his face._

_Dean's mouth dropped in utter horror and he jerked his arms away with a gasp. Sam was sure Dean said something, but the roar desolation in his ears did a good job of blocking it out. Letting out a sharp sob, Sam pushed his brother way from him._

_"Sammy! I-I-.!" Dean cried out desperately, reaching for him but Sam just yanked his arm away and bolted out the hotel door, slamming it loudly behind him and not looking back as he sprinted down the stairs and blindly down the street as his brother wailed his name into the night air._

* * *

_Sam stumbled along the dark road, not knowing or caring where he was going as he sobbed pathetically into his arm._

'_Dean hates me.. I p-pushed him too hard and now he h-hates me' Sam thought to himself in anguish. He wishes he'd never been born. T-Then mom wouldn't have d-died, and D-Dean wouldn't have had to grow up with such an aw-awful little b-brother..._

_So completely enthralled with his internal war, Sam unfortunately didn't hadn't heard or seen the drunk driver currently racing towards him until it was to late..._

_SCREEEECHHHH!_

_Sam let out a loud scream of agony when the large pickup truck slammed into his side, causing him to bang violently against the top of the roof as he was thrown over it._

_The son of a bitch hadn't even stopped._

_Sam let out an agonized groan as he slammed powerfully into the ground, rolling helplessly into the ditch on the other side of the deserted road, landing with a loud grunt of pain on his back._

_Pain was all Sam knew at this moment. Blinding, unbelievable pain and he was unable to do anything about it. So he subsided with lying motionlessly on the ground, staring up at the blurry, starry night with unfocused eyes._

_Well... m-maybe now Dean can be happy... Sam thought numbly to himself before collapsing into darkness._

* * *

So here he was. Bleeding to death in some random, dirty ditch in Nobody-Gives-A-Rats-Ass, USA...

Sam had thought about how he would die a lot. A werewolf's claws, a vampires bite. Hell, a pissed off spirit could do the trick.

But a drunk driving hit and run? Sam can honestly say he never saw that one coming.

Almost his entire body had gone numb by now, most likely from the loss of blood and cold air that had soaked into his broken and dying body.

Y'know, no matter how much someone's thought about it, no matter how much they expect for it to happen, no one is ever really prepared to die. Not even after twenty-four years.

Especially after only twenty-four years.

Sam had always known that he would probably die, but not like this. Not alone... He'd hoped -should worse come to worst- that he would have at least have had the pleasure of being with his brother in his last few moments on Earth.

Tears started to streak again down his cheeks, throat clenching with emotion as his vision started to fade, along with his pain. His physical pain anyways.

As Sam felt his last moments of life start to ebb away, vision now almost gone, only one thought, _one_ image stayed with him.

A picture.

A picture that Dean had insisted upon taking on Sam's graduation day just before he had told them he was leaving for Stanford...

_"C'mon Sammy! You're finally free from the horror that is high school!" Dean had insisted, his patented grin plastered across his face. Sam had the decency to roll his eyes and chuckled, tossing the tassel out of his face._

_"Dean, you know that I don't like taking pictures man! Can't we just go get a beer or something?" Sam protested._

_Dean snorted loudly. "Dude we're getting a beer one way or another. Now will you stop your bitching and get the hell over here!" Then proceeded to yank the half-heartily unwilling Sam over to him. Slinging his free arm around Sam's shoulder, Dean pulled the younger brother against his side._

_Holding the camera up above their heads, Dean pressed his face against the side of Sam's and grinned widely up at it. Sam pouted playfully, but found he couldn't help but smile up at the disposable camera as his brother held him close._

_Dad might not give a damn, but at least he'd always have Dean._

_No matter what, Sam could always take comfort in the fact that there would always Dean._

_click!_

Sam never did find out what Dean did with that picture.

When a sudden sharp slash of blazing pain whip-lashed throughout the inside of his chest, Sam let out a wheezing cough of suffering as an unhealthily large amount of blood sprinkled his face and chest.

The movements caused him to groan loudly at the strain and he felt the all to familiar prick of oh to familiar tears start to react from behind his eyes, blurring his already fading eyesight.

In rebellion Sam squeezed his eyes shut, trying to block out the painful sensations and memories.

But Sam was just to damn tired to fight anymore, and they ended up ultimately winning the feebly fought war over control of Sam's quickly fading grip on his consciousness.

Letting his eyes drift open, Sam was only a little startled to see that his vision was now completely extinguished. Sam let a grim smile weakly creep over the side of his face as he felt his consciousness slowly start to fade.

Coldness soothingly washed over him as Sam slowly start to slip into a surprisingly peaceful void.

"I love you, Dean... I just wish you could have heard me say that..." Sam murmured out softly before letting his mind completely fall into the endless -but oddly enough none the less welcoming- pit of darkness.

**_Dean's POV_**

_Crap, crap, crap, CRAP!_ Dean relentlessly searched the roads for his missing brother, unimaginable guilt and fear crashing over him in waves as he drove along them.

What the hell had he done? How could he do and say those awful things to Sam?

Christ, he hadn't wanted to!

It was just this whole goddamn dad thing was tearing him up inside and he'd screwed the royalist pooch ever and taken out all that built up pain on his brother.

When he found Sam, Dean would get down on his knees and beg for forgiveness if he had to.

Dean was willing to do anything to get his brother back.

_Everything would get better once he found Sam and explained..._ Dean's thoughts trailed off with a flash of horror before he slammed on the breaks in the middle of the dark road.

Leaping out of the car, Dean paled as he saw a long line of blood splatter lead over to the ditch on the side of the road.

_O-Oh Jesus Christ, no... Nonononono. Oh God-_

"Sam, you out hear? SAMMY?" Dean shouted before sprinting along the blood trail, only to jerk to an abrupt stop with a loud cry, hands instantly flying to his mouth.

Before his eyes lay his brother, almost completely soaked sicking amount of blood. His skin was washed out and his lips had taken on a ghoulish blueish tint.

And Sam's eyes...

Dean slowly sank to his knees, his entire body going into a momentarily paralyzing state of shock as he stared at his into his brothers once lively blueish green eyes, that had now become lifeless and glassy as they stared sightlessly up at him.

For some reason, almost as if possessed, Dean numbly reached into his back pocket and plucked out his worn out wallet, eyes never leaving Sam's. Reaching into it, he silently pulled out a worn, long forgotten photograph and only then did he let his eyes stray hesitantly from his deceased baby brothers.

Dean stared blankly down at the picture, tears that he wasn't even aware he was shedding steadily running down his pale, ashen face.

A younger Sam stared back up at him, a crooked grin permanently imprinted into his face as Dean's younger self pulled him against his side. Though extremely difficult, Dean shakily managed to turn the wrinkled photograph around.

In messy handwriting, Dean somehow managed to read the eternal message that eighteen year old Sam had scribbled on the back of the yellowed paper, as if only moments ago.

_June 5, 1999_

_Me and Dean._

_No matter what comes our way, we'll always have each others back._

_Why? Because that's what brothers do. (even if one brother happens to be a giant jerk!)_

Dean let out a strangled laugh at that and kept reading.

_But seriously dude... You have no idea how grateful I am that you're my big brother._

_I know that you must have had to make so many sacrifices for me and you'll never be able to understand how thankful I am..._

_Anyways, that's all for this chick-flick. Go get your blackmail material from somewhere else!_

_~Love (yea Dean, love! Go figure!) Sammy._

Dean let the picture drop out of his hand, unable to breath past the strangling lump that rested inside his throat.

_What had he done..._

He let his glazed eyes lifelessly drop back onto his glassy eyed brother as the inevitable tears started to streak down his cheeks.

Body drowning in a stormy ocean of remorse, he barely managed to weakly crawled on all fours into the ditch. Dean, easily managing to ignore the large amount of blood coating a good portion of his anatomy, chose to spoon against Sam before he buried his tear soaked face into his shoulder.

Bone deep sobs then erupted from his mouth, and he continued to sob for hours in that bloody ditch, miserably clutching his last reason for livings body to his own.

Now completely unaware that the forgotten picture now rest face up on Sam's chest, staring innocently up at the dreary night sky as the heartbroken hunter sobbed himself to sleep. All of his other thoughts having died long ago...

... _along _with his baby brother.

_**The End(?)**_


	2. The Happy Ending At The End Of The Book

_**You're As Cold As Ice.**_

**Summery: Sometimes being cold isn't always a bad thing.**

**Rated: T For Main Character Death, some violence and the obvious angst. :(**

**WARNING: Character death, angst, swearing and uber sadness.**

**Story Type: Now a two-shot due to majority request.**

**Genre: Tragedy, Family, Angst... Schmoop?**

**A/N: My reason for making this fic? You know... I honestly have no idea. I'm clearly not 100% stable mentally though, lol. Then again, you're reading it, aren't you? What does that say about you, eh? :) Enjoy.**

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**Part Two**

_**Sam's POV**_

Sam stared down at his sobbing mess of a brother, mouth open a little in shock. Dean was... crying? Over him? Sam felt his entire body - well, spirit anyways- start to flow with confused emotions.

Why was Dean crying? Wasn't this his chance to be happy? To be free now?

Apparently, Dean didn't share the same thoughts.

He cradled Sam's lifeless and battered body in his shaking arms as he sobbed miserably into the cooling skin of his pulse-less neck.

"Sam! C'mon Sammy, wake up! Wake up man,_ please!_" He choked out weakly in a broken voice, eyes filled with despondency when Sam didn't respond.

His head proceeded to wilt down pathetically like a neglected flower as the sobbing then continued.

All the younger man could do was stare in shock. Dean was really crying for him. He actually missed Sam. He felt a sudden rush of unbelievable grief and sadness rush through his soul as he slowly sunk to his knees, crawling over beside his oblivious older brother.

He flicked a little, but payed no attention as he quietly sat cross legged at Dean's side, staring sadly at his big brothers tear stricken face.

His grimace only deepened as fresh ones slowly continued sliding down after the others without pause.

"Dean... he whispered out softly, desperately hoping for some sort of an reaction. He unsurprisingly got none, and if anything Dean seemed to sob harder into his deceased little brothers neck.

"Dean." He pressed, putting more force into his voice along with a mixture of the raw emotions currently swirling around in him.

Dean's head jerked up at that and Sam grimaced at the broken expression on his older brothers tear-streaked face.

"Sammy?" He croaked out, looking blindly out at the empty air in front of him.

Sam crawled in front of of the confused and heartsick older man before returning to his cross-legged position and concentrating. Concentrating on only one thing, and that was to be visible for Dean to be able to see him.

Though Sam was still just a little bit shocked that he would even wanted to see Sam...

Shaking his head, he put more energy behind him, squinting a little in intense focus as he focused on only Dean's tear streaked face, a soft mantra of See me, hear me, look at me, feel me, rushing though his mind.

It was only a few more seconds of extremely exhausting concentration before Sam managed to flicker into Dean's eyesight. A loud, broken gasp of shock rang from the hunters throat.

Sam felt what he assumed to be his pulse -if he even still had one- increase viciously as the older man stared at him, eyes wide with shock and grief.

For a moment they just stare, both equally stunned and frightened to make any sort of movement whatsoever. Then, without any warning, Dean's dam broke loose.

Tears -somehow- starting to brim his eyes, he find himself launching himself into his older brothers arms. Sam's once inhabited body was harmlessly bumped to the side as the two brothers fell to the ground, Sam's light -but still there- weight holding them down.

Burying his face into the stunned brothers neck, Sam shook with unshed tears form flickered irrationally in his arms, "I-I'm so sorry Dean, he choked out meekly, "I just w-wanted you to be ha-happy for once. To-To not have to feel like all the w-weight was on your shoulders." He sobbed out, inhaling the deep, comforting scent of his big brother.

For a moment Dean didn't move, arms hanging loosely at his sides as Sam lay curled up on his chest, and for a brief flash of fear Sam was afraid that he'd made a mistake, that Dean didn't actually want to see him.

Then a pair of tight, shaking arms wrapped so tightly around Sam's waist that if he were still alive would have probably cut off his air supply. A wave of sobs shook though the older mans body as he clutched Sam tightly to him.

Burying his face in his hair, Dean gently gripped the back of Sam's chilled head and twined his fingers though the soft hair."I'm so, _so_ sorry, Sammy." He managed out in a such a small, vulnerable voice that Sam had never heard before once in his life.

"I just wanted to keep you safe... Just wanted to make it so you wouldn't have to be any sadder then you already were." Dean let loose a strangled laugh, "Bang up job I did, eh?"

Sam pulled his face away from Dean's grasp and stared up teary eyed into the matching set of equally as distressed eyes. "Don't you get it Dean? You're my brother, I would do anything for you. And knowing that you were suffering so much hurt me way more then you talking about it with me ever could have." Sam finished softly.

Staring miserably down at Sam, a small, shaky smile gently pulled at Dean's lips, "Guess I never thought of it that way." he managed out quietly, eyes growing painfully wide in fear and grief as he watched his baby brother flicker once again in his arms.

"Sam..." He croaked out. Feeling a rush of sadness once again, Sam nodded gently in understanding as he felt himself uncontrollably start to flicker again and again.

"You know that no matter what, I'll always be watching out you right?" He questioned softly, voice starting to grow more and more tired.

Dean's eyes were pinched tightly, entire body quivering with suffering.

"Please don't leave Sammy..." He whispered desperately, "Your body's right there man, just jump right back in."

Sam felt his soul ache worse and worse with each word, and he shook his head heavily, eyes tearing up again, "You and I both know that it doesn't work that way Dean..."

"T-Then we'll find a way to save you! Just give me a couple days and-" Sam's flickering cut him off, and Sam could feel that his time was running out.

"Dean, Dean listen to me!" Sam urged, managing to focus enough to grab Dean's jaw and make him look him eye to eye. "You know that I love you, right?" Staring wide eyed at him, tears seeming to have made a permanent stain on his pale cheeks, Dean nodded.

"Of course Sammy, I-I love you to, but..." Sam felt his will start to slip. He knew that staying behind had basically no guarantees that he would ever be put back in his body. But the thought of leaving dean all alone in this cold, dangerous world scared him to death.

Well, you know what he means.

He opened his mouth to speak again when suddenly, a person flicked into view, standing just above Dean's head.

She was pretty, short, dark brown hair neatly cut into a cute bob, but she was wearing dark shaded clothes. Her solemn, knowing brown eyes stared gently into his own.

Holding a hand out towards him, she said softly in a voice that made Sam yearn for rest. It didn't take long for Sam to realize what she was.

A reaper. And she'd come to usher his spirit into the afterlife. Staring up at her with a pained expression, Sam whispered out, "I can't leave. He... he needs me." Sam saw Dean's face visibly pale even more -if possible- and he started to shake his head back and form, head whipping around.

"No! You stay away from my brother you soul schlepping _son of a bitch!_" He snarled into the cold night air. Despite Dean's slightly hysterical threats, her gaze remained only on his, filled with knowing kind of sympathy.

"He doesn't need you Sam. He wants you, but he doesn't need you."

Sam shook his head in disagreement, "That's not true, he does! If I leave he'll be all alone and who know what could happen to him?"

He stared at him with somber, expressive eyes. "When your time has arrived, your time has arrived. And your time, Sam Winchester, has indeed arrived."

Her voice grew softer as she continued. "Now, I can't force you to come with me, but you won't get back into your body. I can promise you that there is no piece of hoodoo, voodoo or black magic around that can bring you back without giving something big back in return."

Sam felt himself stiffen, "What are you saying? That if Dean tries to put me back in my body someone could get hurt? That he could get hurt?" Dean let out a ferocious growl of outrage.

"Dammit Sam, don't listen to it! We'll find a way to bring you back, no strings attached! Just don't go with it!" He begged.

Then Sam looked down at Dean with an expression that made him stop cold.

_**Dean's POV**_

It was an expression that he'd only seen a couple times in his life. Once when they were kids and Sam had demanded to know where dad was really going on his 'business trips', and right before the fight with dad over going to Stanford. It was an expression that was so clear, so filled with yearning and desperation that it made Dean stop his argument right in its tracks.

"Sam... do you... want to go with the reaper?" He whispered, voice cracking a little with raw emotion. Sam's eyes wide with shock, and for a second he looked like he was going to argue when his entire being slumped over in submission.

He nodded, "Yea Dean... Not because I want to leave you!" he added quickly, "Just because... I'm tired Dean." he whispered out sadly, and Dean felt his heart clench in his chest.

Sam went on quietly, "You've seen what spirits become Dean. They either go insane with grief, fear or just loneliness." He whispered softly, "And what are you going to do? Drag my dead body all along the country with you?" Dean flinched a little, but Sam went on.

"How many hunters have you heard of that have ever actually brought someone back from the dead, Dean? What's dead should stay dead, remember?" He quoted lightly.

Dean scowled darkly at Sam for a moment, then couldn't help the slightly pained smile that stretched dryly across his lips and chuckled dryly. "Just couldn't wait to throw that one back in my face could you?"

Sam smiled sadly and shook his head.

Letting loose a long, jittery sigh he braced himself mentally for what he was about to say. Even though it was killing him, quite possibly literally, he knew it was the right thing to do.

"You should go with it Sam. You..." He cursed himself when tears started to involuntarily fill his eyes again, "You don't belong here anymore.

"Sam looked at him in shock for a moment, then relief washed over his face. Dean stared solemnly at his dead little brother and buried his face in his hands, rubbing it roughly.

He keeps hoping that this is all just an awful, _awful_ dream and he was going to wake up any moment.

Except it wasn't, and he wouldn't.

_**Sam's POV**_

After a long, silent beat Sam gently pried his surprisingly corporeal spirit out of Dean's vice like grip and shakily stood up.

The dark haired woman smiled sweetly at him and held out her out towards Sam. He stared at it, still just the tiniest bit frightened of where it would lead him. Looking up at her with timid, wide eyes, he spoke softly.

"Where... where exactly am I going? Heaven or..." He trailed off with a note of slightly fearful uncertainty

The reaper just smiled at him in amusement and shook her head.

"You Winchesters, always wanting to spoil the big surprise. Sorry Sammy, can't give away the big punch-line. Let me ask you this though." She gave him one of those knowing looks. "After all you've done, all the people you've saved, everything you've sacrificed and more, do you _really_ think you need to ask me where you're most likely going?"

Sam smiled, his soul seeming to relax at the words. He started to reach for her hand when suddenly a thought struck him. He looked back and Dean was standing, staring at him with tears in his eyes and shockingly, a small, -stress the word _small_- fraction of a smile on his face.

At Sam's questioning look, he chuckled weakly and shook his head. "Though every instinct in my body is telling me to fight to keep you I know that it's your time." The smile grew just a fraction wider, "I know you're going to a good place Sammy."

Sam felt tears rush to his eyes, and stepping away from the waiting reaper for a moment he strode back to his brother before pulling him into a hug. It was an emotional hug, and though he'd deny it, it was a pretty damn girly hug to.

Neither of them could be bothered to give a damn.

Pulling away, Sam stared at his big brother with tears in his eyes and a peaceful smile on his face, "I'm gonna miss you a lot Dean. Don't take this the wrong way but... he chuckled a little, "I really hope I don't see you to soon."

Dean gave him a classic Dean Winchester grin, "We'll see about that Sammy." Sam laughed a little and pulled away gently from the earthly comfort of his brothers protective grasp.

Turning back to the patiently waiting reaper, he silently strode over to her side, and just as he was about to take hold of her inviting hand, he heard a soft, familiar voice from behind.

"Hey Sam..." Sam paused, turning his head slightly back towards his brother.

"Yea, Dean?" He questioned gently. There was the soft sound of scuffling from behind him and after a beat of silence Dean's voice finished timidly, "Tell mom I said hi, okay?"

Emotion clogged Sam's throat at that and he fully glanced over his shoulder one more time and gave Dean a winning smile.

"You can count on it Dean." He assured him softly before taking the reapers hand into his own, and suddenly he most warm bright light washed over his being, stunning him for a moment as she gently started to lead him forward into it.

The sound of heavenly singing and the most gorgeous music entered his ears. Looking back and wasn't shocked to see that Dean no longer stood behind him, and a small pang of sadness skittered though him.

Then he remembered where he was going, where Dean would -hopefully not _too_ soon- be going one day as well and the sadness steadily lessened.

Just as Sam was about to cross over into that beautiful, blinding light, an odd thought occurred to him.

"Hey, can I ask you a quick question before I go?" He inquired, looking over to the fading reaper.

She looked a little startled, but nodded with a small smile of amusement. "Sure kid, why not. Shoot."

Tilting his head curiously to the side, he asked, "What's your name? If you have one, I mean."

At that, she gave him the widest, most electric smile he thinks is possible for a creature of death.

"I have a lot of names, but you can call me Tessa."

**_The (Real) End_**


End file.
